Rail brace



' March 31, 936f y l D. P. sTEWARD ET AL 2,035,929

RAIL BRACE Original Filed April 4, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheen?I l BY ZM' M ATIORNEYJ March 31, D. P STEWARD E1- AL 2,035,929

RAIL BRACE v Original Filed April 4, 1953 5 Sheets-5h66?. 2

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RAIL BRACE Original Filed April 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet ."5

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ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 31, 1936 RAIL Douglas P. Steward and John to The Lorain Steel Comtown, Pa., assignors pany, Johnstown P sylvania BRACE V. Stewart, Johnsa corporation of Penn- Original application April 4, 1933, Serial No.

664,412. Divided and this application May 8, 1934, Serial No. 724,577

6 Claims. (Cl. 23S- 292) Our invention relates to a brace for securing track rails in position.

An object of the invention is to provide a rail brace of simple, strong construction by which the rail may be wedged tightly in position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a part of a rail, tie plate and brace, embodying a preferred form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rail and brace taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the brace; Fig. 5 is a Vertical section of the rail showing the brace in side elevation; Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively plan and vertical sections of a modification of the brace shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

The present invention is a division of copending application Serial No. 664,412 filed April 4, 1933.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the invention is shown. as applied to a rail I0 mounted on a tie plate II having an overhanging part I2 forming a recess in which one flange I3 of the rail fits and is held, the plate II valso having a sliding surface I4 on which a point rail I5 slides toward and from the rail I0. The base of the rail I0 is mounted on a lower surface I6 of the tie plate II and the surface I6 is provided with two ribs running parallel to the rail I 0, one rib I I being positioned closely adjacent the outer flange I8 of the rail Ill and the other rib I9 being spaced a greater distance from the rail I0. The rail IIJ is wedged to force its flange I3 into the recess below the overhanging part I2 and to hold the flange I8 downwardly by means of a brace 20, which is wedged between the ribs I1 and I9 and the flange and head parts of the rail 0.

The brace 20, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, is formed with a vertical plate 2 I, the upper edge 22 of which wedges against the under surface of the head of the rail and the lower edge 23 of which wedges against the upper surface of the rail flange I8, the under surface of the rail head and the upper surface of the flange I8 being inclined to provide the proper wedging action to secure the rail. Extending downwardly and outwardly from each of the side edges of the vertical plate 2I are supporting extensions or plates 24 and 25 and between the extensions 24 and 25 there is a horizontal flange 26 extending from the lower edge of the vertical plate 2l. At the outer ends 0f extensions 24 and 25 there is a transverse 35 base span or plate 2l, the lower surface of which rests on the surface I6 of the tie plate I I.

opposed faces of the base plate 21 flange 26 are tapered downwardly.

'Ihe and of the In placing the brace in position the space between these downwardly tapered surfaces is placed over the upwardly extending rib there having previously anchoring recess 28 in the I'I of the tie plate II, been mounted in an rib I'I, the head of a bolt 29 the stem of which extends upwardly through the space between the base 2'( and the flange 25 and through a hole in a wedge 39 projecting into the space between 26 and 2'1.

The

wedge 39 is then forced downwardly by means of a nut 3l on the bolt 29, a spring washer 32 being inserted between the nut 3I of the wedge 30. forces the brace ange I 8.

and the The action of th upper face e wedge 30 20 downwardly against the bas 29 against the rail ID, thus s rail I9 tightly in the recess I2. The wedge 3 erving to e strip 2l so as to force or wedge the brace anchor the below the overhang 3 is forced downwardly for this purpose by means of a nut 34 threaded on to an upwardly projecting bolt stem 35, the head of which is secured in a recess in a rib 38 in ner similar to that in the rib I'I.

a man- Similarly a spring washer 31 may be provided between the nut 34 and the upper face of the Through the above construction, the only necessary to slide one flange I3 wedge 33. refore, it is of the rail ID beneath the overhang I2, then insert the heads of the bolts 29 and 35 in the recess of 36 respectively, position the wedges 30 tighten them by means of the nuts whereupon the rail will be automatic tightly in position.

In the modified form ribs I'I and and 33 and 3| and 34 ally wedged shown in Figs. 6 and '7,

the brace is formed with a pair of vertical side walls 38 and 39, joined at their ed the rail by an inclined spanning w ing an upper flange 4I to wedge again face of the head of the flange 42 to wedge against the rail flange I8. The outer and ges nearest eb 40 havst the lower rail I0 and having a lower the upper surface of lower ends of the vertical walls 38 and 39 are connected by means of a base Web or wall 43, the of which rests on the tie plate I I. is held downwardly and wedged agai by means of a wedge 44 having one f lower edge The brace nst the rail ace bearing against a downwardly inclined face 45 at the lower end of the vertical web 40 and having the opposite faces wedging against the inclined surface 46 of an outer rib 41 on the tie plate ll. The wedge 44 is held and forced downwardly by means of a bolt 48 having its head engaged in a rib 49 in the same manner as the engagement of the bolt 29 in the rib 28. A nut 50 on the bolt 48 is screwed downwardlyT to force the wedge 44 downwardly and thereby wedge the brace against the rail l0. The face of the-wedge 44 acting against the inclined face 45 of the brace, holds the latter downwardly at the same time as it wedges the brace against the rail.

In Figs. 6 and '1 the invention is shown as applied to a guard rail l which is secured to and spaced from the rail lll by a spacer 52 and bolts 53. The flanges of the rails are separated by a central rib 54.

The outer ange of the rail 5| is held downwardly against the tie plate Il by means of a brace 55 held in place by means of a bolt 55 and bearing downwardly on the outer flange 51 of the rail 5|. In this way the ange 51 is held in place and prevented froml rising from the tie plate l I.

It will be understood, however, that the brace may be used in other positions than those shown in the specic examples given above and that either form may be used wherever the rail is to be held downwardly and laterally. Also that it may be used on canted or on level surface plates.

Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim isz- 1. A rail brace having a bottom surface to rest on a base plate, surfaces to engage the under surface of a rail head and a top surface of a rail flange and an opening to receive a holding bolt, said opening having a surface inclined upwardly toward the rail engaging surface to form a lateral wedging surface.

2. A rail holding means comprising a brace having surfaces to engage and wedge against the lower surface of a rail head and the upper surface of a rail flange, a base surface spaced from the rail engaging surfaces, and having the opposite end of said brace inclined upwardly toward said rail in a plane parallel to the edge of said head to form a laterally wedging base, an opening between said base surface and said rail engaging surfaces and means comprising a bolt and holding block engaging the sides of said opening to force said brace downwardly between said base surface and said rail engaging surfaces and means to wedge against the outer inclined surface of said brace.

3. A rail holding means which comprises a brace having rail engaging surfaces acting downwardly and laterally and a base surface spaced therefrom and means comprising a tie plate, a bolt anchored t0 said tie plate, and a wedge between said rail engaging surfaces and said base surface to wedge the brace downwardly and toward the rail engaging surfaces.

4. A rail holding means which comprises a base plate to support said rail, said-base plate having transverse ribs provided with bolt head recesses, a brace having surfaces to engage the rail laterally and downwardly, said brace having an upwardly flaring opening, a bolt extending from one of said ribs upwardly through said opening and a wedge block in said opening and engaging the sides of said opening to be forced and held downwardly on said bolt.

5. A rail holding means which comprises a base plate tosupport said rail, said base plate having transverse ribs provided with bolt head recesses, a brace having surfaces to engage the rail laterally and downwardly, said brace having an upwardly flaring opening, a bolt extending fro-m one of said ribs upwardly through said opening and a Wedge block in said opening to be forced and held downwardly on said bolt and engaging the sides of said opening and a sidewise wedging block between a rib and the outer end of said brace and a bolt for wedging said block downwardly.

6. A brace having an upright wall to abut the lower surface of a rail head with the upper surface of said wall, and to abut the upper surface of the base flange of the rail with the lower surface of said wall, and having side plates extending from said wall to a base plate spanning said side walls, said upright wall having an inturned flange, the edge of said flange forming a flaring bolt head opening with the inner edge of said base plate, the Outer edge of said base plate being inclined upwardly toward said upright wall whereby said brace may be wedged downwardly and toward said rail by wedges in said flaring opening and atsaid inclined outer edge of said base plate respectively,

DOUGLAS P. STEWARD. JOHN V. STEWART. 

